Senior HR Generalist

Summary: The Senior Human Resources Generalist is responsible for administering and supporting the full range of human resources functions at CMC, serving as the primary HR resource for employees and leadership. This role blends hands-on HR operations, including payroll coordination, timekeeping, benefits administration, and leave management, with broader responsibilities such as recruiting, employee relations, and compliance in a cGMP-regulated manufacturing environment. The Senior HR Generalist plays a key role in sustaining a positive, compliant, and high-performing workplace culture across both our Huxley and Madrid, Iowa locations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

HR Operations & Employee Support

• Serve as a trusted, day-to-day HR partner to leadership and employees, building strong working relationships and promoting a positive workplace environment.


• Administer bi-weekly payroll and timekeeping, serving as the primary point of contact for payroll, time entry, and benefits inquiries.


• Administer employee benefit programs, including annual open enrollment, carrier billing reconciliation, and retirement plan coordination.


• Coordinate temporary staffing needs with outside agency partners, including punch tracking reconciliation and invoice review.


• Maintain accurate personnel records and data integrity across HR systems.


• Administer leave-of-absence and workers' compensation claims in coordination with carriers, including return-to-work coordination in accordance with state requirements.


• Manage unemployment insurance claims and respond to employment and income verification requests.

HR Management & Compliance

• Ensure organizational compliance with applicable employment laws, safety regulations, and industry documentation standards, including compliance reporting and audit-ready documentation.


• Implement and maintain HR policies and procedures, tracking regulatory updates to keep policy current and consistently applied across the organization.


• Lead full-cycle recruiting and onboarding for all open positions and maintain job descriptions and interview guides.


• Serve as a trusted advisor to leaders and employees on employee relations matters, ensuring timely, well-documented case management and issuing disciplinary and separation documentation as needed.


• Administer the performance review cycle and coach managers on delivering clear, ongoing performance feedback; annual wage scale analysis and compensation benchmarking are led by the Controller.


• Develop, maintain, and update the employee handbook and company policies.


• Design and deliver compliance and skills training programs.

Organizational Development & Culture

• Support employee engagement and culture initiatives, including internal communication efforts across bilingual teams.


• Partner with department leaders and counsel employees on training, development, and career planning.


• Facilitate the offboarding process, including separation documentation and exit interviews, and analyze turnover trends to inform retention strategies.


• Coordinate with outside partners and advisors on policy review and compliance-adjacent matters, escalating to manager or outside counsel for matters requiring specialized guidance.


• Analyze workforce and headcount data to support leadership decision-making.


• Perform other duties as assigned by management.
  

Work Environment

Work is generally performed in an office setting with regular exposure to the production floor environment. Occasional travel between company locations.

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred; 5+ years of progressive HR experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.


• 3+ years of HR experience with demonstrated, hands-on generalist responsibility.


• Experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment strongly preferred.


• Professional HR certification is a plus.

Additional Skills

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.


• Proficient with HRIS, payroll, and learning management systems.


• Strong working knowledge of employment law, HR best practices, and regulatory compliance.


• Highly organized and self-directed, with the ability to manage a broad range of concurrent HR responsibilities and shifting priorities.


• Sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information.


• Effective communicator with strong interpersonal skills across all levels of the organization, from front-line production employees to executive leadership.